2013-14 NAIA Women's Swimming & Diving Coaches' Poll - No. 1

Cumberlands (Ky.) earns first No. 1 ranking of the 2013-14 season

December 12, 2013

By -, -

By: Sam Knehans, Communications & Sports Information Intern

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — Cumberlands (Ky.) sits atop the first 2013-14 NAIA Women's Swimming & Diving Coaches' Poll, the national office announced Thursday. The Patriots, who have placed in the top two in every meet this season and are 2-1 in dual events, earned three first-place votes and 25 total points to claim the No. 1 ranking.

The Patriots, who were last ranked No. 1 on Dec. 4, 2012, own one of the top two times in four-of-five relays: the 200 Free, 200 Medley, 400 Free and 400 Medley. Individual Cumberlands swimmers have also posted the top times in the 200 Back, 100 Fly and 200 IM. The Patriots lone dual-meet loss came against NCAA Division I Xavier (Ohio) on Oct. 12.

Defending national champion Oklahoma Baptist ranks second with 24 total points and two first-place votes. In the first two years of the program’s existence, the Bison have finished as national runners-up (2011) and national champions (2012). This season, Oklahoma Baptist has placed first in three meets and won its lone dual event over NCAA Division III Southwestern (Texas). Like the Patriots, the Bison own one of the top two times in four-of-five relays: the 200 Free, 200 Medley, 400 Free and 400 Medley, and also boast the top individual times in several events: the 50 Free, 200 Breast, 1 Meter Diving and 3 Meter Diving.

SCAD Savannah (Ga.) accumulated 16 points to earn the No. 3 position. The Bees have placed among the top two in two meets this season, but have lost their four dual events to NCAA Division I Georgia Southern, NCAA Division I Georgia Tech, NCAA Division II Limestone (S.C.) and NCAA Division III Emory (Ga.). Individual Bees swimmers have earned the top times in the 500 Free, 200 Fly and 400 IM.

Brenau (Ga.) holds the No. 4 position in the poll with seven points, while Olivet Nazarene (Ill.) and Biola (Calif.) share the No. 5 spot with five points each. Union (Ky.) was the only other program to receive votes in the poll.

The poll was voted upon by a panel of head coaches from the NAIA Swimming & Diving Coaches Association and is the first of three regular-season Top 5 polls. The second poll will be released on Jan. 23.